2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code K90.81Whipple's disease

ICD-10-CM Codes›K00–K95›K90-K95›K90

ICD-10-CM K90.81
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

K90.81 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Whipple's disease. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 393 through 395. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Other specified and unspecified gastrointestinal disorders.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
K90.81
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Whipple's disease
Short Description
Whipple's disease
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
K90.8
Other intestinal malabsorption

Code Classification

ChapterK00–K95Diseases of the digestive system
SectionK90-K95Other diseases of the digestive system
CategoryK90Intestinal malabsorption
This CodeK90.81Whipple's disease

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Central nervous system demyelination due to Whipple disease
  • Dementia due to Whipple disease
  • Infection caused by Tropheryma
  • Malabsorption caused by infective agent
  • Neuro - Whipple's disease
  • Seronegative arthritis secondary to Whipple's disease
  • Whipple's disease

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Arthropathy
      • in (due to)
        • Whipple's disease
    • Lipodystrophy
      • intestinal
    • Whipple's disease

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR DIG025
Other specified and unspecified gastrointestinal disorders
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Malabsorption Syndromes

Your small intestine does most of the digesting of the foods you eat. If you have a malabsorption syndrome, your small intestine cannot absorb nutrients from foods.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert K90.81 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
040.2 Whipple's disease
Exact Match The mapping is direct, with no qualifiers.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About K90.81Overview

Is K90.81 (Other intestinal malabsorption) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report Whipple's disease on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does K90.81 group to?

When Whipple's disease is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 393, 394, 395, with relative weights from 0.6490 to 1.5993 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of K90.81?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, Whipple's disease converts to ICD-9-CM 040.2 (Whipple's disease). The mapping is a direct match.

Footnotes

[1] Chronic - a chronic condition code indicates a condition lasting 12 months or longer and its effect on the patient based on one or both of the following criteria:

  • The condition results in the need for ongoing intervention with medical products,treatment, services, and special equipment
  • The condition places limitations on self-care, independent living, and social interactions.